Boffins have unveiled a robot that, we're confidently told, can understand human emotions.
Named Pepper, the shiny machine has what appears to be a tablet computer strapped to its chest, and it resembles a cross between a mermaid and a, ahem, marital aid.
It is the work of SoftBank Mobile Corp, a Japanese cell network, and …

COMMENTS

Looks like...

Life, don't talk to me about life!

Let's hope it has a hackable or open API, it would make a splendid GPP prototype to emulate Marvin however I think there was a slight spelling error, this thing has has a brain the size of a plant, and a really small one at that.

Extensive vocabulary

*shakes fist*

Am I the only one that just wants to punch that thing it its stupid smug face? (I'm pretty sure that when I'm an old fart I am going to be spending a lot of time yelling at robots and demanding to speak to a human being.)

Also, that thing looks like the Playskool version of the Cybermen.

Edit: I see that Frankee Llonnygog has already answered my question...

Re: *shakes fist*

Re: *shakes fist*

"Am I the only one that just wants to punch that thing it its stupid smug face? (I'm pretty sure that when I'm an old fart I am going to be spending a lot of time yelling at robots and demanding to speak to a human being.)"

More likely you'll be like the rest of us nerds, desperately yearning for a bit of the robot's attention, but continually spurned.

Uh-oh

While mounting a frikkin lazer to it would be child's play, I suspect that if the fingers are dexterous it could be taught to use a .45 ACP????? Shouldn't this article be in the ROTM section? It's a preview of things to come and it probably won't end well.

The Daleks are coming!!!

Can't climb stairs eh. Well that didn't stop the Daleks from ruling over half the galaxy. Luckily it only RECOGNISES emotions, it doesn't actually have emotions as that would imply intentionality and self awareness. It can only emulates emotional responses, pretty much the same way a puppet can. So why the big hoo-har about this plastic pal that's fun to be with.

Emulating an emotional response will seem like total insincerity by the observer, leading to annoyance and eventually violence, when the perceived response is seen as some kind of robot sarcasm. "please ignore that I am pointing this gun at you and look at the sad expression on my face. That shows how much I regret having to kill you".

Re: The Daleks are coming!!!

Re: The Daleks are coming!!!

I don't think so - 50 years of ELIZA just indicates how long an irritating pattern matching program can wow people wanting to believe electronic tools & toys can mimic humans! The bottom line is we understand hardly anything about how our brains work. Any robot no matter how exaggerated the PR is will be anything more that just clever hardware & software. I prefer to pursue the quest for AI as exactly that - artificial. How clever can we make software to adapt to different scenarios and inputs and put that to use in something that really helps us. Not, how can I make something that has human characteristics and gimmicky features that I can brainwash the public into buying at huge expensive! Good luck to them though.. I'm sure they'll sell a load initially before people realise it's just a useless toy :-)

Re: The Daleks are coming!!!

"Emulating an emotional response will seem like total insincerity by the observer, leading to annoyance and eventually violence, when the perceived response is seen as some kind of robot sarcasm."

A robot that can simulate emotion is still more human than many people I've met. Besides, how do you know you're not just "simulating emotion" by displaying reactions you have observed to be socially contextually relevant? You have a chemical reaction that occurs in your brain that triggers the behavior patterns? How's that different from a subroutine?

You're a machine. The robot's a machine. Based on your posts, I daresay it has a chance of being the better machine.

I COULD SAVE YOU £666 ON YOUR CAR INSURANCE!

Can it get me a beer from the fridge / put a pizza in the oven and bring it to me in the living room? I don't want it to have emotions or tell jokes. Then do the washing up and tidying up afterwards. In short I want Kryten Series 4000 mechanoid.

There seem to be tinpot firms that do this every few years. Stick a face, some wheels and a pair of useless flagella on a coat-stand and claim it's a paradigm shift in robotics. Even Asimo seems to mostly run on preprogrammed routines. Hardly a robot.